ABSTRACT
Agricultural productivity is adversely affected by the physiological and biochemical damage mediated by diversified classes of abiotic stresses. The critical physiological changes mediated by abiotic stress in cells include the production of reactive oxygen species, and in turn the disruption of cellular homeostasis. Silicon plays an important role in reducing the adverse effects of both biotic as well as abiotic stresses. Silicon (Si) is acquired through roots to alleviate the negative impacts of a diverse range of abiotic stresses like metal toxicity, salinity, water stress and temperature. Si has ability to alleviate both abiotic and biotic stress reported in several crop plants. Si has been reported to be involved in number of functions like redox homeostasis, oxidative stress, nitrogen assimilation, signaling, carbohydrate metabolism, ion and water influxes, root exudation, hormone regulation, heavy metal chelation, root architecture, photosynthesis and transpiration. The supply of Si reduces levels of ethylene and increases the synthesis of polyamines to circumvent the abiotic stress.
